Date: 1966
Two simultaneously shot 16mm. films shown simultaneously on a split screen transferred to video, St Martin's School of Art, London
From an original idea by Barry Martin
Location: St Martin's School of Art
Directed by Barry Martin. Event team: Gerard Hemsworth, Malcome Le Grice, Su Brown.
Collection: The Tate Gallery
The South Lodge
Chiswick House Grounds
London
W4 2RP
Tel/fax: 020 8742 2311
artworks@barrymartin.co.uk
www.barrymartin.co.uk
Participants included: Richard Long, Hamish Fulton, Alan Barker, George Pasmore, Jeffrey Shaw, Bruce McLean, Wendy Taylor, Andrew Brighton, Perter Hide, David Evison and numerous others - 25 in all. Martin had already and uniquely developed time-based ideas and sculptures at Goldsmiths' College of Art 1961-1966 with both college and public success. This development of timed-based works led him to investigate perceptual psychology and concepts involved with theories about cognative states of understanding. Coupled to this was his research into the training astronauts had to undertake in the USA with particular emphasis on sensory deprivation and its effects on body/mind space trainees. This led to the film and events titled above. The film is a documentation of the activities of 25 artists placed under specific conditions and the effects displayed over a forty minute period. The conditions outlined to the participants were to meet in an ante-chamber constructed outside Martin's basement studio at St. Martin's bringing with them swimming costumes. They were given no information about the event and were hooded once dis-robed. Blindfold they were led into the environment. 24' long, 15' wide, 14' high that had been divided into various sections containing tactile materials and forms, hung, spread etc including a female model posing absolutely still. The floor surface was raised at various levels to cause disorientation. Participants were asked to explore the space without talking and that no further participants would be watching. Various spatial sounds were played including whale calling tracks, trains in trouble, noises of the steam variety, space babble. These were increased and decreased in volume and periods of silence were introduced. Two hidden 16 mm cameras recorded simultaneously the event from each end of the environment. The event was stopped after 40 minutes and numerous incidents happened - e.g. inability to move, crying, fighting, obsessive activities etc and the participants were led out still wearing their blackout hoods and without conversation. They were informed that a full discussion about the event would take place one week later. At this meeting they were invited to see the environment for the first time on a split screen forming a visual 360-degree near cubist statement. The film served as a comparison to their own imagination of the nature of the environment and formed a strong discussional point that brought out many personal statements of comparison. Responses were heightened by the sensory deprivation experienced during the event. The film was shown at St. Martin's and Goldsmiths' to packed audiences and served as a catalyst to numerous other artists' activities. Martin went on to teach at both St. Martins's and Goldsmiths' on the degree and foundation courses and was the external assessor for the BA (Hons.) Degree Course in Sculpture at St. Martin's for five years during the early and middle 1970's. |
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